• The complete destruction of the magnificent Temple was a just retribution for the "presumption of its worshippers" and a theological necessity to end the Old Covenant rites.  The destruction was foreshadowed by the precise events of wars, sedition, pestilence, and famine that occurred among the Jews, as documented by historians like Josephus.

• The predicted calamities are a continuing reality of the current age, having a dual fulfillment in the Fall of Jerusalem and the entire Church age. Tribulation comes from everywhere: external (wars, famines, natural disasters), ecclesiastical (heresy, indifference), and internal (temptations and betrayal).

• Christ warns to "See that you not be deceived," because the devil disguises himself in heresy, but the Word of God is the antidote. In the face of persecution and death, Christ provides consolation and guarantees the "joy of the resurrection" and the preservation of the soul.

The Destruction of the Temple

St. Eusebius immediately addresses the central prophetic declaration of the passage.

• History says that everything related to the structure of the Temple was beautiful. Even the preserved remains testify to it's splendor. 

• Despite this beauty, Christ pronounced a prophecy of complete ruin: "there should not be left in it one stone upon another."

• The cause behind the disaster was that the place should suffer "every kind of desolation" because of the "presumption of its worshippers." The corruption and spiritual pride of the Jewish people made the physical destruction necessary and just.

St. Bede offers a theological reason for the Temple's destruction.

• The overthrow of the city and the Temple was "ordained by the dispensation of God." The destruction was necessary "lest perhaps some one yet a child in the faith" be spiritually harmed.

• New converts might be "rapt in astonishment at the rites of the sacrifices" and the Temple's "various beauties," leading them to cling to the superseded practices of the Old Covenant rather than fully embracing the New Covenant revealed in Christ.

• The destruction thus served as a final, definitive sign that the Law of Moses, with its physical rituals, was complete.

St. Ambrose provides a three-fold allegorical and spiritual interpretation of the Temple's destruction.

• The prophecy was spoken of the "temple made with hands," affirming the temporary nature of all human construction: "there is nothing made with hands which age does not impair, or violence throw down, or fire burn."

• The "other temple" is the Synagogue, representing the institutions and covenant of the Law. This ancient building "falls to pieces as the Church rises."

• There is a "temple in every one" (the soul, where God dwells). This individual temple "falls when faith is lacking," spiritual destruction comes from within through a loss of belief. 

• "When any one falsely shields himself under the name of Christ, that so he may rebel against his inward inclinations," highlights the hypocrisy that brings about the soul's ruin.

The Understanding of the Disciples

St. Cyril focuses on the disciples' misunderstanding of Christ's prophecy and the resulting questions they posed.

• Christ spoke about the destruction of the physical Temple ("not be left one stone upon another"), but His disciples "did not at all perceive the force of His words."

• Instead of understanding the immediate, historical ruin of the Temple and Jerusalem, they "supposed they were spoken of the end of the world."

• Leading them to ask Christ two specific questions, seeking clarification on the timing and signs of the final age. "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign ..."

St. Ambrose addresses the scope of the disciples' questions.

• Matthew's Gospel reveals the disciples were asking about three distinct future events:

  1. The time of the destruction of the temple.

  2. The sign of Christ's coming (Second Coming).

  3. The end of the world.

• Christ "instructs them as to the signs" of the events but "does not mind to inform them as to the time."

  1. This strategic silence leads directly to Christ's primary warning: "See that you not be deceived." 

  2. By withholding the exact time, Christ forces the disciples (and all believers) to remain continually vigilant and focused on correctly discerning the signs and preserving their faith.

Christ's Warning

St. Athanasius moves from the external signs to the internal spiritual danger of deception.

• Christ's warning is given in terms of a spiritual battle over the "graces and doctrines which are above man"

  1. The devil actively seeks to "steal from us the seed of the word which has been sown."

  2. Christ counters this by "shutting up in us His teaching as His own precious gift," and issuing the solemn warning not to be deceived.

  3. God gives the "word of God" as the "one very great gift" to help believers discern truth from error, even when truth is "lying concealed."

• Athanasius describes the devil's method of deception using the analogy of a kidnapper:

  1. The devil "conceals" his true hateful nature and "craftily assumes a name desirable to all." Like a man counterfeiting a parent's looks to lead away children, the devil disguises himself under the most desirable name, that of Christ.

  2. In "every heresy," the devil speaks in disguise, saying, “I am Christ, and with me there is truth.”

  3. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draws near." This refers not only to literal false messiahs but also to those who twist Christ's name and teaching (heretics).

St. Cyril continues the theme of vigilance against deception by contrasting the humility and secrecy of Christ's First Coming with the glory and openness of His Second Coming.

• Before Christ's Second Coming, there will be those "whom we must not give place." A warning of the false Christs.

• First Coming (Humility): The Only-begotten Son, in His first coming to save the world, "wished to be in secret," primarily so "that He might bear the cross for us"—a necessary act of humble suffering.

• Second Coming (Glory): His second coming, however, "shall not be in secret, but terrible and open." He will descend "in the glory of God the Father, with the Angels attending Him, to judge the world in righteousness."

  • Since the true Christ will return openly and gloriously, any claims of a secret or hidden Christ are false, leading to the concluding command: "Go you not therefore after them."

Titus of Bostra presents an alternative interpretation regarding the timing of the false Christs Christ warned about.

• Christ may not have been speaking exclusively of figures who would appear immediately before the end of the world.

• The warning about those who "shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ" could refer to individuals who "existed in the Apostles' time," false teachers and messianic pretenders who were already active during the early days of the Church.

St. Bede reinforces the idea that Christ's warning of false Christs and the nearness of "the time" applies to both historical events and ongoing heretical threats within the Church.

• When the "destruction of Jerusalem was at hand," there were "many leaders" who claimed to be Christ and promised that the "time of deliverance was drawing nigh."

• The prophecy also applies to "Many heresiarchs also in the Church" who falsely "have preached that the day of the Lord is at hand," and who were condemned by the Apostles.

• Simon Magus was a notable early example of an Antichrist who came in Christ's name, specifically because he arrogantly claimed divine power, saying, "This man is the great power of God" (Acts 8:10).

Signs and Tribulations

St. Gregory the Great focuses on the purpose of prophecy regarding the signs of the end.

• God denounces the woes that shall forerun the destruction of the world so that they "may the less disturb when they come, as having been foreknown."

  1. The knowledge acts as a defense, as "darts strike the less which are foreseen."

• There are two types of turmoil Christ predicted, showing that tribulation will come from all sides:

  1. Wars "refer to the enemy." They are the troubles "suffered from the enemy" (external conflicts).

  2. Commotions "refer to citizens." They are the troubles suffered "from our own brethren" (internal strife, civil unrest, or division).

St. Ambrose emphasizes the relevance of Christ's prophecy to the believers of his own time.

• We believers are the greatest "witnesses" to Christ's heavenly words (prophecies).

• We "upon whom the ends of the world have come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). Every generation of the Church lives in the final age, expecting Christ's return and experiencing the foretold tribulations.

• "What wars and what rumors of wars have we received!" Christ's warning about external conflict is a constant, recurring reality throughout the life of the Church.

St. Gregory the Great emphasizes the gradual nature of the end times and categorizes the sources of the predicted tribulations.

• "These things must first come to pass; but the end is not yet," noting that:

  1. The "last tribulation" is preceded by "many tribulations."

  2. These preliminary evils must happen so that the faithful may "await that evil which has no end" (the final judgment). This helps prepare souls for the ultimate crisis.

• The sources of the suffering Christ foretold:

  1. Men: "Nation shall rise against nation." Signifies the "confusions of men" (wars, civil strife).

  2. Heaven/Above (Natural Disasters): "And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places." Relates to the "wrath from above" (divine judgment expressed through the elements).

  3. General Suffering: We must suffer from heaven, earth, the elements, and men.

St. John Chrysostom offers a theological distinction regarding the meaning of earthquakes.

• An earthquake can be a sign of God's wrath or judgment, such as when the earth shook "when our Lord was crucified."

• An earthquake can also be a "token of God’s providence" or divine intervention, citing the example from the book of Acts where " the place where they were gathered shook" (Acts 4:31) while the Apostles were praying, signifying the arrival of the Holy Spirit or divine confirmation.

St. Gregory the Great focuses on the remaining signs of tribulation (famine and fearful sights).

• The next signs of God's judgment against a corrupted world, pestilence and famine:

  1. Pestilence is seen as the "vicissitudes of bodies" (afflictions of the human physical state).

  2. Famine is seen in the "barrenness of the ground" (the failure of the earth to sustain life).

• Fearful Sights and Great Signs refer to the "variableness of the climate," which St. Gregory attributes to storms and phenomena that "by no means regard the order of the seasons."

  1. These must be considered signs because "the things which come in fixed order are not signs." A sign is a departure from the expected natural course.

• Humans "pervert to the service of sin" everything they receive for the "use of life" (God's created gifts).

• Consequently, "all those things which we have bent to a wicked use, are turned to the instruments of our punishment." 

St. Ambrose lists the categories of calamities predicted to occur before the end of the world.

• Famine

• Pestilence (disease)

• Persecution (suffering at the hands of men)

Theophylact focuses on the dual fulfillment of Christ's prophecies.

• Some view the prophecy as fulfilled not only at the "future consummation of all things" (the end of the world) but also at the time of the "taking of Jerusalem."

  1. "When the Author of peace was killed, then justly arose among the Jews wars and sedition." The rejection of Christ led to political and civil strife.

  2. "From wars proceed pestilence." "Air infected with dead bodies" and the sanitation crisis caused by conflict will be the cause of disease.

  3. "The latter [famine] through the lands remaining uncultivated" during the sieges and conflicts.

• The destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem (AD 70) as recorded by Roman-Jewish historian Flavius Josephus provides some evidence of the prophecies:

  1. Josephus "relates the most intolerable distresses to have occurred from famine" during the siege.

  2. Acts of the Apostles mentions a severe famine that occurred during the time of Claudius Caesar (Acts 11:28).

  3. Josephus also wrote of "many terrible events" which served as "A forboding... the destruction of Jerusalem" (the fearful sights and great signs from heaven).

St. John Chrysostom focuses on the timing of the predicted destruction of Jerusalem relative to the initial signs of tribulation.

• Christ's caution that the "end of the city" (the historical taking of Jerusalem) "shall not come immediately" after the first warnings.

• The destruction will be preceded by "many battles first," affirming that wars and commotions are introductory signs, not the final event. Giving believers time to recognize the signs and flee.

St. Bede offers an allegory of the tribulations as an ongoing spiritual warfare within the Church,  though alarming, works out for the Church's final triumph.

• Do not to be alarmed by these early signs or "to desert Jerusalem and Judea" (the Church):

  1. Kingdom Against Kingdom. The heretics contending one with another, where their internal disputes ironically "bring victory to the Church" by exposing error and strengthening truth.

  2. Pestilence. The corrupting influence of false teaching, described as those "whose word creeps as a cancer."

  3. Famine. The spiritual deprivation caused by heresy, the "famine of hearing the word of God."

  4. Shaking of the Earth. The "separation from the true faith" that occurs when foundational beliefs are challenged.

St. Ambrose offers a powerful and intensely personal spiritual application of the prophecy of "wars and commotions."

• The predicted "wars" are as the internal conflict that every Christian must fight: the "struggles of different lusts, and the conflicts of the will." This is the moral battle against temptation and fleshly desires.

• This internal warfare is the most dangerous kind, "domestic foes are far more dangerous than all foreign" enemies. The sins and corruptions that from within one's own heart are more destructive to the soul than any external persecution or worldly conflict.

St. Gregory the Great focuses on the justice of the coming tribulations, establishing a necessary divine order for judgment.

• The prophesied calamities arise "not from the injustice of the inflictor" (God), but from the "deserts of the world which suffers them" (the world's sinfulness). God's actions are a retribution necessitated by human corruption.

• Christ's warning, "Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you," establishes a prophetic sequence:

  1. The "hearts of men" are disturbed first, leading to the persecution of the disciples.

  2. "afterwards the elements, shall be disturbed" (wars, earthquakes, famines).

• While the end of the world has an "appointed course," the Lord highlights the sins of the wicked because He is "finding some more corrupt than others who shall rightly be overwhelmed in its fall."

St. Cyril provides a historical fulfillment for Christ's prophecy about the persecution of His followers.

• The prophecy ("Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you,") is said to have been fulfilled when "before that Jerusalem should be taken by the Romans."

  1. The disciples were persecuted by the Jews, resulting in them being imprisoned and brought before rulers.

• The Apostle Paul, who was persecuted and "sent to Rome to Caesar, and stood before Festus and Agrippa" (referencing Acts, chapters 23-26).

Christ's Consolation

St. Gregory the Great focuses on verse 13 and Christ's subsequent consolation to the disciples.

• Against the Persecutors: The disciples' steadfast endurance serves as a testimony "against those who by persecuting you bring death upon themselves." Their martyrdom is evidence of the persecutor's guilt.

• Against the Lukewarm: It is also a testimony against those who are living but "do not imitate you" (the disciples' holiness and perseverance).

• For the Elect: The example of the disciples' suffering is taken up by the elect who "take example that they may live."

• Because listeners' hearts may be troubled by hearing "so many terrible things," so Christ immediately provides consolation: "Settle it therefore in your hearts" (verse 14, from the Latin to English translation seen below) 

  1. Immediately after He instructs "not to meditate before what you shall answer" (NABRE: "you are not to prepare your defense beforehand"). 

  2. This teaches that the key to enduring external conflict is to first secure inner resolve and confidence in God's provision.

Theophylact focuses on Christ's promise of divine assistance to the disciples during their persecution.

• Christ gives this instruction and promise because the Apostles were "foolish and inexperienced." The promise ensures they "might not be confounded when about to give account to the wise."

• "I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute" can be understood as:

  1. Wisdom, relating to the "power of the understanding" - the content of their argument and the truth of the Gospel.

  2. A mouth [1], relating to the "excellence of speech" - the ability to articulate that truth effectively.

• Some ordinary people may have wisdom but are easily provoked. When the time comes, they tarnish their speaking.

• The Apostles, however, were "highly favored" in both gifts, ensuring that all their adversaries, even if "gathered together in one," would be "not able to resist you" in either wisdom or eloquence.

St. Gregory the Great offers a concise summary of Christ's promise of divine assistance.

• The Lord is essentially saying, "Be not afraid, go forward to the battle, it is I that fight; you utter the words, I am He that speaks."

• Christ is not merely a helper, but the primary agent who supplies the power and the words themselves.

St. Ambrose offers a profound Trinitarian doctrine related to Christ's promise, explaining that the power comes from the undivided voice of the Trinity.

• Christ speaks in His disciples when He gives them "a mouth and wisdom."

• The Father speaks according to Matthew 10:20 ("For it will not be you who speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.")

• The Spirit speaks according to Mark 13:11 and other places. ("For it will not be you who are speaking but the holy Spirit.")

• These three instances "do not differ but agree together" because the three Divine Persons are one in essence and operation. "The voice of the Trinity is one."

Warning of Betrayal

Theophylact highlights the shift in Christ's warning to the more devastating and personal threat of betrayal and martyrdom at the hands of one's own family.

• Christ dispelled the fear of being unprepared to speak to authorities by promising divine wisdom and eloquence

• The Lord provides this warning about persecution "lest falling suddenly upon them, it should dismay them."

• The betrayal is made especially agonizing because it comes from the most trusted sources: "parents, brothers, relatives, and friends." This betrayal will lead directly to the ultimate sacrifice: "and some of you shall they cause to be put to death."

St. Gregory the Great emphasizes the dual pain caused by betrayal from family and friends.

• Persecutions suffered from those "of whose dispositions we made sure" (family or trusted friends) are "the more galled" (infuriating).

• The pain is not just physical ("bodily pain"), but includes the severe psychological and emotional anguish caused by the "bitter pangs of lost affection."

St. Gregory of Nyssa vividly describes the social catastrophe caused by the persecution.

• In that time of religious division, "all men were suspected," and families "were divided against one another."

  1. The "gentile son stood up the betrayer of his believing parents."

  2. The "unbelieving father became the determined accuser" of his "believing son."

• The persecution spared no one: "no age was spared in the persecution of the faith," and "women were unprotected even by the natural weakness of their sex."

Theophylact focuses on the expansion of persecution from internal familial betrayal to universal, external hatred.

• Christ's prophecy adds a final layer of tribulation beyond the natural disasters and family betrayal: the hatred they shall meet with from men.

• The persecution is not localized or personal, but a universal hostility directed against the very name and authority of Christ.

Christ's Assurance

St. Gregory the Great focuses on the powerful consolation Christ offers to the martyrs amidst the threat of death.

• "But because of the hard things foretold concerning the affliction of death," Christ immediately follows with a promise of resurrection: "but not a hair on your head will be destroyed."

• This promise ensures the martyrs' joy of the resurrection, guaranteeing the restoration of their bodies, even down to the smallest detail.

• "Why fear you for the perishing of that which when cut, pains when that can not perish in you, which when cut gives no pain?" The suffering and death (the "cutting" that pains) are temporary and trivial compared to the glory of the incorruptible resurrection.

St. Bede offers a spiritual interpretation of the promise from verse 18.

• The preservation of the "hair on your head," the most insignificant part of the body, is a guarantee that God will reward every detail of the saints' lives:

  1. Not only will the "noble deeds and words of the Saints" receive their reward.

  2. "Even the slightest thought shall meet with its deserving reward."

• Christ's promise extends beyond physical resurrection to spiritual justice, assuring the apostles that their entire life of service and suffering, down to the most minor inner movement, is recognized and treasured by God.

St. Gregory the Great focuses on the culminating virtue required for endurance: patience. [2]

• The one who "preserves patience in adversity" is rendered "proof against all affliction." By exercising patience, the believer "conquer[s] himself," thereby gaining the "government of himself." True freedom and authority come from mastering one's own internal reactions to suffering.

• Christ's promise, "In your patience shall you possess your souls," highlights the ultimate spiritual achievement. 

  1. To possess your soul is "to live perfectly in all things."

  2. It means "sitting it upon the citadel of virtue to hold in subjection every motion of the mind."

  3. The soul, established securely in virtue, rules over the lower, disruptive passions and impulses.

St. Gregory the Great expands on his previous point about patience. [2]

• By patience, "we possess our souls," because when we achieve self-governance, "we begin to possess the very thing which we are." Patience is not merely enduring; it is the act of ruling over one's internal self.

• Patience is the "root" of all virtues. It provides the stability necessary for any other virtue (such as charity, courage, or humility) to grow and withstand spiritual storms.

• Patience is the "guardian" of virtues. Its function is twofold:

  1. To endure the "ills which are inflicted by others" (external afflictions like persecution).

  2. To "have no feeling of indignation against him who inflicts them" (internal moral composure and charity toward the aggressor).

•